Almost
by Sylph Dancer
Summary: ほとんど: It's sweet. It's painful. It can hit you like lightning and leave you utterly dazzled, and sometimes it fades away forever. Sometimes it comes too early, and sometimes it comes too late. And so the power of Love strikes an almost-town in Northern Hokkaido... This is a story of Love under the stars. Based on the play Almost, Maine by John Cariani. AU.


**始まる - Begin**

* * *

_The stars were clear and bright in the late night sky, glittering particles in faraway clusters like distant immortal fireflies. A soft winter breeze pushed drifting, wispy clouds across the endless heavens, just masking the sky enough to veil the deep blue with a hint of grey, the stars still poking their light through. Below, pure white snow was stacked high in snowdrifts and delicately frosting the evergreen trees. Little glowing lights in the distance belied a tiny, scattered place, with just barely enough houses and stores and restaurants and businesses to be called a town._

_But not quite._

_And below in this almost-town, far to the outskirts by a pond entirely frozen over, where the tamed trees met the wild ones, sat two figures, as close together as possible and yet quite far apart. Each were swallowed by puffy winter clothes. A young girl with short, caramel brown hair in two braids sat next to an older, slightly geeky boy with blonde hair that was immersed in the stars above. The girl kept glancing at the boy, her eyes soft. Her foot tapped nervously, and she bit her lip, swallowing hard and taking a deep breath._

_"Hikaru, I—"_

_"Yes?" He turned towards her._

_"I just—" She looked away. "I'm having a nice time."_

_"Good."_

_She groaned silently, looking embarrassed. She tried again. "I—"_

_He turned to look at her again. "Yeah?"_

_"I always do with you." Which wasn't what she meant to say._

_"I'm glad, Ami."_

_They turned their gazes up towards the stars again. With nothing else to say, Ami said hastily, "And the stars—they're so beautiful! I had no idea you knew all that stuff, even after all this time!"_

_Hikaru made to interrupt, but Ami kept babbling. When she had finally finished, he said, slightly pink in the face, "It's just stuff my dad taught me."_

_Back to the stars. Silence._

_"Hikaru..."_

_"Yeah?"_

_Her eyes met his, a little panicked, and she blurted, "I love you!"_

_Hikaru stared at her, uncomprehending. Slowly it dawned on him, and shock spread across his expression. Ami looked away, feeling more awkward than ever._

_Well, crap._

_Longer silence._

_Hikaru seemed to struggle with himself, but eventually his voice returned, and there was nothing else to say but the truth: "I love you too."_

_"Oh!" Ami smiled, her eyes sparkling, giving a sort of happy shiver._

_Hikaru smiled back at her. "A-Are you cold? Do you want to head back?"_

_"No! No—no!" Ami shook her head. "I'm fine. I just wanna sit." She tried to convey what she meant, but seemed a little unable. "Like this." Her eyes lit up. "Close!"_

_She scooted closer to him._

_"I feel so close to you right now."_

_"It's nice. It's safe."_

_Closer._

_"I like being close to you."_

_She was too close now._

_"I mean... I can think of other... ways... of being close to you..."_

_Way too close._

_"But right—I just like this. This kind of close. You know..."_

_Close enough to see every freckle on her face._

_"I think I'm about as close to you as I could possibly be."_

_Hikaru swallowed, breathing a little too hard and a little too pink. "Well—" His voice cracked. "N-Not really."_

_Ami looked up at him, surprised and confused. "What?"_

_"I mean—you're not close to me at all. You're actually as far away as you could possibly be. I mean—" His eyes brightened as he leaned down and scooped snow into a ball. "If you think about it like a snowball, then..." He pointed to one spot, then one right next to it, then drew his finger around the frozen globe to the other point. "That's far."_

_Ami looked shocked, embarrassed, and more than a little hurt. What exactly was he trying to say? "Yeah..." She scooted away slightly._

_Hikaru frowned. He had really only thought of it as a simple matter of physics. He certainly hadn't wanted her to move away from him at all. "But... now you're closer," Hikaru said hopefully._

_Ami was even more flustered. "Yeah." She stood and took a step away, turning back. What else was there to do?_

_"And closer..." Ami stopped and looked back at him. "And closer..." She glanced away, then back at him, then to the distant points of light. And she walked away. "And closer..."_

_Hikaru trailed off, frowning at his snowball. This certainly wasn't what he intended. He glanced in the direction Ami had left, lost and a little forlorn. Above, the stars twinkled, foretelling a new tale a year later, with a front yard, a kiss, and a broken heart..._

* * *

_彼女の心 -Her Heart_

* * *

One year later, the night was cold and clear, thick snow from an unusual blizzard the night before still laying in thick snowdrifts. A young woman bundled up in a thick red plaid coat and a hat with a red X design placed crookedly on her bubblegum-pink hair sat at the opening to a large tent, watching the starry night sky above her. In her hand was a small red bag.

Amu took a deep breath and smiled up at the sky from her tent, crouching on the ground and clutching the red bag close to her chest. "I'll see you again," She whispered. "I promise."

"Excuse me!"

A man with midnight blue hair jogged towards her, looking rather alarmed. "May I ask what you're doing in my yard?!"

Amu, a woman of twenty-three, just happened to be hunched in front of a tent, which also happened to be in a random front yard in Northern Hokkaido.

She stiffened and hopped to her feet, brushing her hair behind her ear, still clutching her bag. "H-Hello!"

"Hi," The man said, slightly stunned and perhaps a little annoyed. "Er—do you need something?"

"O—Oh!" Amu, slightly flustered, regained herself and took a defensive stance. "I'm fine. Just... stargazing."

"In my front yard."

"Umm..." Amu fumbled around, extracting a brochure from a pack and waving it a little wildly. "It—it says in here—I'm sorry, I just thought—because, it says that in Northern Hokkaido it's "The Way Life Should Be" in "the tradition of northern Scandinavia", and I'm a hiker, see, and I've been to Scandinavia and they help hikers and mountaineers like us and they let us sleep in their yards, and I thought it would be the  
same here—is it?"

"What?"

"I mean—would you let a hiker stay here and camp out in your yard? Because I need to,"

"Well,"

"I mean, I really, really need to, and it's only tonight, so I can see the shooting stars—you know, the meteor shower that's supposed to happen tonight?"

"Well, maybe if they really needed to, but—"

"Really?" Amu laughed, a wide smile across her face, and gave the man a quick hug. The red bag she carried was squished in between the two, but when they parted, the bag was in the man's hand.

"I'm Amu Hinamori." Amu smiled.

"Ikuto Tsukiyomi." Ikuto was more than a little confused and apparently not aware of the bag he now held. "Er—well, technically, it's Aruto, after my father. Because there was a mistake on my birth certificate, and Aruto is the name I was supposed to be given, so... it says, Ikuto Tsukiyomi born in the Aruto Wing in the hospital in the neighboring town."

"Oh. So do you want me to call you Aruto?"

Ikuto winced. "Er... no, I like Ikuto."

She smiled, and then blinked as she realized he now held her bag. "Oh! I need that!"

Ikuto started and then frowned as he inspected the bag he held. "Oh. Sorry, I didn't realize I was holding it." He gave it back.

"Thank you."

"So..." He crossed his arms. "You want to see the meteor shower?"

"Yes!" She giggled. "This place is so beautiful. There's so much sky. And I thought that most of everyone up here worked in the service sector, but this looks like—"

"A potato farm," Ikuto said. "Or, well, it used to be, except not anymore." He scratched his neck. "I'm a repairman."

"Oh. Well, I'm really glad you let me stay here. I mean, I've had a hard time lately, and it's so nice to be here and—"

He leaned downwards and kissed her, pressing his lips softly against hers. The bag appeared in Ikuto's hand.

The two of them started and pulled away, both of them completely surprised.

"Er—" Ikuto shook his head, flustered. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that, I just..."

"Yeaaahhh..."

"I think..."

"Well..."

"I think I'm in love with you. I mean—" He was utterly perplexed, unsure of where any of this was coming from. "I just—saw you from my window, and I just barely met you, and I think I love you."

"Er." Amu was pink. "I'm... I should tell you... I'm here. For my husband."

"Oh."

"He died. Last Tuesday. And the reason I came up here was to see the meteor shower, and did you know that they're supposedly the deceased spirits making their way up to—well, wherever you go when you die? I'm here to apologize. I didn't leave things well with him when he died. And they say it takes three days to get to wherever they're headed, and today—Friday—today is the last day, so I know I'll see him, and..."

"Oh. Er—"

"His name was Kurai, and I just wanted to find a nice yard so I could see him and apologize, and not be bothered, and what you did right there bothered me, I think, and so I'm just gonna go find another yard—"

"No!" Ikuto said hurriedly. "I mean—just—just think of that as... a very warm Hokkaido welcome," He said lamely.

Amu was touched. "Oh. Thank you." She smiled. "It's good to be here."

"Good."

"Um. Ikuto?"

"Yeah?"

"Where exactly is 'here'? I mean, I passed through that town that you were born in—but, what town is this?"

"Almost."

"What?"

"It's almost a town. Hotondo. See, to become a town, you have to get 'organized', and Hotondo never really got 'organized. We're just... here. An almost-town. Almost, but not quite."

"Oh." Amu said nothing, then frowned. Her eyes widened, and she began hyperventilating. "My heart!"

"What? Are—are you okay?"

"My heart!" She pointed at the little red bag he was still holding. "Please give it back!"

"Oh—sorry!" He handed her the back, and her breathing calmed.

Ikuto was quiet. Then, "That bag... what's inside it... that's your heart?"

"Yes."

"Oh." Ikuto looked at it. "It's heavy. Why is it in there?"

"Because it's how I carry it around." Amu said matter-of-factly. "It's broken."

"Broken..."

"Kurai broke it." Saying any of this didn't seem to affect her at all. "He left me. For someone else. And I felt like my heart would break, and it did. It got all hard and it cracked in two. I had to go to the hospital, and they said they would have to take it out and get me a new one, and when they took it out, they dropped it, and it broke. Into nineteen pieces. And it turned into slate."

"Oh." Ikuto said awkwardly. "Slate is good for roofing."

Amu stared at him.

"So... How are you alive? I mean..."

She tapped her chest. "Artificial."

"Ah." Ikuto looked at her. "So... why do you carry it around? It's broken."

"It's my heart."

"But it's broken."

"Yes."

"Because your husband left you."

"Yes."

Ikuto sighed. "Well then, why are you paying respects to him? I mean, he broke your heart," He said as Amu tried to interrupt, "and I just don't think he should deserve any respects."

"But I need to apologize," Amu insisted.

"Why? If he broke your heart—"

"I killed him!" Amu shouted.

It was silent as they stared at each other. Amu's eyes were filled with guilt, and she shut them, remembering. "When I was in the hospital, Kurai came back. He said he'd made a terrible mistake. He said that he was sorry he left me, and he would do anything to get me back, and he didn't care how long it took, but he begged me to let him back into my life."

Amu sighed. "And... this artificial heart... this thing, it can't feel. I can't feel. And I told him... that I had a new heart, and that heart didn't have him in it. And he was devastated, I could see it in him, and he went tearing out of the hospital, and this ambulance, it didn't see him, and it hit him and killed him."

"Amu..."

"And if I'd been able to love him back, then he wouldn't have just torn through the hospital and gotten hit by that ambulance,"

"Amu."

"And it's all my fault, really, and I need to apologize, and—" Ikuto took her face in his hands and kissed her gently, and Amu froze, then pulled away. She took her heart from Ikuto. "Please don't do that anymore..."

"But I love you," He said softly.

"But I don't love you," Amu said sadly. "I don't and I never will. My heart—" She gently lifted her bag. "—I can't feel anything because it's broken. The artificial heart in my chest just pumps blood and keeps me alive. The one that feels things, it's broken."

Ikuto kissed her again, this time deliberately taking the bag from her. Amu snatched it from him, but Ikuto snatched it right back. "Let me keep this."

"No way! It's mine!"

"I can fix it!"

"I don't care! I don't want you to!"

"It's broken—"

"It's my heart!"

"—and I can fix it!"

"It's my heart, Ikuto!" Amu yelled.

"I know it's your heart!" He shouted. "And I believe I have it!"

Amu stopped, shocked and a little stunned.

"I can fix it." Silence. "I'm a repairman. It's what I do."

Ikuto stooped to the ground and took out the pieces of Amu's heart. They were indeed pieces of slate, all nineteen of them. Slowly, ever so slowly, he began to fix them.

Amu watched him, her face changing ever so slightly as she watched. Suddenly from above, a tiny shard of light danced its way across the sky.

_"Oh!"_ Amu's eyes lit up and sparkled, her cheeks flooding with pink. "Oh, it's _beautiful!"_ The shard of light left a tiny trail as it flew in the night. Then another followed, and another, until hundreds upon hundreds were flying, like glowing fireflies, like tiny sparks, reflected in her brown eyes. "Kurai! Kurai, I'm so _sorry!"_ Tears spilled down her cheeks. She did not wipe them away. "Goodbye, Kurai!"

Slowly, she turned to Ikuto, who was still fixing her heart, his eyes intent as he slowly pieced her back together. He looked up, and their eyes met.

"Hello, Ikuto," She whispered. He smiled back at her, his eyes bright as hundreds of shooting stars reflected back at her.

"Hello."

* * *

___悲しい _/嬉しい- - _Sad/Glad_

* * *

The Tanuki Paddy was filled to the brim, as it usually was on Friday nights in Hotondo. Tsumugu Hinamori sighed, rubbing at a smudge on the counter. Several beer bottles surrounded him, and he grabbed one, taking a swig. He scratched idly at the shadow of a beard on his chin.

To his right, a pretty woman exited the Women's bathroom, a wide smile on her face.

Tsumugu glanced in her direction, then started. A strange sort of smile passed over his face. "Murai!"

The woman jumped and turned around. "Hmm?" She saw him.

This is awkward.

This is _very_ awkward.

"Er... Tsumugu!" She gave him a great, huge, horrible smile. "Hey!"

"Heyy!" He said, a smile just as horrible plastered across his face.

"Heyy!"

"Hey! Er—how are you?

"Great!"

"Yeah, you look good!"

"Thanks!"

"Real good!"

"Thank you!"

"Really good!"

"Thanks, Tsumugu."

"Pretty. Really pretty."

A pause. Yes, this is _very, very _awkward.

"I...I haven't seen you in months."

"Yeah, I know."

"Not since... er... I woke up. And you were gone."

"Yeah."

A waitress strode over to them, a smile on her face. "Hey, there! I didn't see you guys. Does this lovely couple need anything?"

"Er—we're not—"

"Well—no."

"Yeah, no."

"We're fine."

The waitress nodded. "All right. Holler at me if you need anything!"

"Thanks," Murai sighed.

"No, really," The waitress said. "It' busy up front!" She left.

"So..." He swallowed hard. "How have you been?"

"Not—not much. How about you? Or—your parents?"

"Er..." The man bit his lip. "Well, I've got the business now. My dad's business. Yep. It's pretty all right. I mean, it was time, anyways, for him to retire, so he left me with it and retired to Vermont."

"Oh. Um. How are your brother and sister?"

"They got canned," He said awkwardly. "They left, too."

"Ohh." Murai looked as if she would much rather have not asked him anything. "Um. How's Spot?"

"He died. It's all right, though, he was a good old fish."

"Oh." She bit her lip. "I'm.. it's a girl's night out. I'm with my girls. I should probably head back—"

"Oh—wait," He pleaded. "Just a second!"

She stopped, then sighed. "Yeah, Tsumugu?

"So, yeah. I'm. I'm alone right now." He swallowed hard. "Murai... I was wondering... if maybe you..."

"Well, Tsumugu..."

"Hey!" The waitress came back. "I forgot! Today's Happy Friday, so free drinks! You guys need anything, just holler!"

"Okay."

"Okay!" She left.

"So, what do you say?"

"Tsumugu..." She looked away. "The truth is... it's my engagement party. Because I'm with someone. I'm getting married, Tsumugu."

"Oh. Congratulation."

"Yeah. To, um. Oda Yūsei."

"Ohhh."

"Yes."

"So that's why..." He laughed uncomfortably. "Well. Okay. I mean—" He fumbled for words. "That's good. That's good! I mean—he's a voice actor, isn't he?"

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Oh." He nodded. Then, "HEY!"

"Tsu—Tsumugu?!"

"HEY!"

"What are you doing?!"

"I'm calling the waitress. She said to holler, because she's working up front and it's loud."

"But—"

"We need some drinks. To celebrate!"

"No, Tsu—what's that on your arm?"

"Nothing. Tattoo. HEY!"

"A tattoo? Since when? What does it say?"

"Nothing! HEY!"

She took his arm and looked at the tattoo. "Green... Midori?"

"Akuyaku. Villain."

"... It says 'Midori'."

"It's supposed to say 'villain', but they misspelled it."

"Badly. The kanji is very wrong. There's just one character for 'Midori', but two for 'Akuyaku'."

"Yeah. They wrote it funny."

"Very funny."

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because I'm a villain. What I did, it was villainy. I chased you away."

"Oh, Tsumugu, you didn't—"

"And that's bad. So I marked myself, so girls would stay away. So that no one would go through what we went through."

"Yeah..."

"Can I kiss you?"

"No." She kissed his cheek. "Goodbye, Tsumugu."

"Goodbye, Murai."

She left.

Tsumugu sighed. He was alone again. And perhaps, it was time to go home again, leave this place, stay home, perhaps...

"Heyy!" The waitress from before appeared. "I saw you waving. Sorry, it's really wild up there. There's a bachelorette party! What do you need?"

"Oh—nothing." He waved her off. "I'm fine."

"Hm." She inspected him. "Well, don't forget, it's Happy Friday. If you're sad, I can get you some drinks. My name's Midori, so... Just ask for Midori." She walked away.

Tsumugu stared after as her words sunk in. "Midori?"

She turned. "Yeah?"

He looked at her, then smiled. "I'm not sad. But, can I get another beer?"

"Sure!" She grinned at him.

"Midori?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you found me."

"Awww, thanks." She walked away, saying to herself, "That's sweet."

Tsumugu watched her go. Suddenly the night had improved. If he turned to the window, he might have seen the meteors that had begun to cascade to earth.

* * *

_痛い -Hurts_

* * *

Inside Ma Amakawa's Boarding House in Hotondo, Hokkaido, two strangers were together inside the laundry room. A young man sat on a bench, while the other, a woman, stood ironing a man's shirt. After a moment of thought, she deliberately crumpled the shirt and tossed it in her laundry basket,. In the process, she burned herself. "OW! Damn it!"

The young man glanced up, then took note of it, writing down 'iron' in a little notebook that said 'LIST OF THINGS THAT CAN HURT YOU'.

The woman folded up the ironing board and went to put it away. By accident, while carrying the ironing board, she slammed it against the man's head, who fell backwards onto the ground.

"Shit! Oh, I am so sorry!" She rushed to his side. "Oh, are you okay?"

He waved her off, smiling brightly. "I'm fine."

"No you aren't, I just walloped you in the head with an ironing board!" She began checking his head. "Oh, no!"

"I'm okay." He grinned. "That didn't hurt, don't worry."

"What? Of course it did! I'll go get you some ice! I—"

"No, really!" He insisted. "I can't feel pain. That didn't hurt!"

"... Oh, God, what have I done to you?" She fretted.

"No, no, it's really okay," He reassured her. "It's not on my list, so it didn't hurt me." He showed her his 'LIST OF THINGS THAT CAN HURT YOU'.

"... Your list?" She looked at it, frowning.

"Yeah. And my list is pretty reliable, because my brother Kaidou helped me make it. And ironing boards are not on my list of things that can hurt you. See, I bet if I hit you with this ironing board—" He picked it up. "—you wouldn't get hurt." And he whacked her with it. "See?"

"OWW!" She yelled, tumbling backwards.

"Oh." Kukai dropped the board and rushing to help her up. "I'm sorry. I didn't think that would hurt."

"Hell yes, it did!" She said angrily. "Ahh!"

"I'm sorry," He hunched his shoulders, looking embarrassed. "It wasn't on my list, but gosh, maybe it should be..." He snatched his book and wrote 'ironing board' down in it. He picked up another, labeled: 'LIST OF THINGS TO BE AFRAID OF'. He asked her, "Should I be afraid of ironing boards."

She winced, cradling her skull. "Well, yeah, if someone is swinging one at your head, yeah," She retorted.

"But are they something I should always be afraid of?"

"Well—no, I mean, not always."

"But they can hurt you."

"Yeah."

"But you shouldn't be afraid of them."

"No."

"Oh." He saw the bewildered look on her face. "I have congenital analgesia," He explained. "Or Hereditary Sensory Neuropathy Type 4, but it means that I can't feel pain. See, look! Try it!" He whacked himself in the head with his 'LIST OF THINGS THAT CAN HURT YOU' book.

"Ow!" She said indignantly.

"Come on, try it!"

"No!"

"Come on!"

"NO!"

He sighed, tossing his book. "All right. You don't have to. Most people don't. They just go away."The woman, hesitating, picked up the book, and hit him on the head with it. He continued talking, not even noticing. "My brother Kaidou said I shouldn't tell people about myself because it scares them." She hit him again. He didn't notice. "So I've put myself on my list of things to be afraid of." This time, she hit him so hard he was knocked off the bench.

"I am so sorry!" She rushed to him.

"You hit me," He said in amazement. "Most people go away but you hit me!"

"I—I had to see, but are you okay?"

"Is there any blood?"

"No."

"Any discoloration?"

"No."

"Then I'm not hurt."

"Well..." She knelt down next to him, helping him up. "You can be bleeding and bruised, or there can be no physical damage whatsoever, and you can still be hurt." They sat down together. "I'm Utau."

"I'm Kukai." He smiled at her. "I live in Room Eleven with my brother Kaidou."

"I live with my boyfriend. I love him very much," She said sarcastically.

"Oh." He was quiet. Then, "You guys are loud."

"What?"

"You guys are loud. You guys yell a lot and bang around." He shrugged. "We're right below you, so..."

"Oh." She frowned. "I'm sorry. We're... going through a rough patch." She changed the subject. "How does it feel? You know, to not feel any pain?"

He shrugged. "Sometimes for little things like cuts and bruises, it's nice, because then I'm not bothered by any pain, which is useful during soccer practice. But it's kind of dangerous—like this one time, I tripped down the stairs and broke my arm, and I didn't even know it was broken."

Utau stared at him with a stranger sort of pity on her face. "That's..."

"And love," He said brightly. "That's useful."

"What do you mean?"

"Love. I can't feel it."

She frowned. "Why?"

"Because it hurts," Kukai said matter-of-factly. "Love hurts. My brother says its something I should be afraid of. Like pretty girls."

"Pretty girls?" Utau looked at him like he was crazy. "Why would you need to be afraid of pretty girls?"

"Because pretty girls—like you—can hurt me, especially beautiful girls, like you. Girls like you are easy to fall in love with, and love is painful."

"It shouldn't be," She said quietly.

"And so, I'll never have to deal with love. Seeing as I have a lot of deficiencies and not very many capacities."

"You know what?" Utau said softly, inching closer. "A lot of people do."

It was quiet for a beat, as Kukai hummed to himself, unaware of the sudden awkwardness of the situation, smiling pleasantly at Utau as she slid closer to him, smiling at her right up until her lips were less than an inch before his.

She kissed him gently, sweetly and innocently, as if she were afraid of hurting him. Kukai sat there in surprise and shock. Slowly, his eyes closed, and he kissed her back in earnest.

He stared at her as she pulled away, his mouth opening in surprise and his eyes popping out. Finally, he stammered out, "Is—Is there any blood?"

She smiled softly. "No."

"Any discoloration?"

"No."

"Then I'm okay." He frowned unsurely.

There was a long, awkward silence. Then Utau cleared her throat. "Sorry, I—it's just—you're very sweet."

"You just kissed me," Kukai said dumbly.

"Yes."

"Even though you have a boyfriend."

"Yes."

"Who you love very much."

"Yes."

"Okay..." Kukai shook his head. "I gotta tell this to my brother. He'll know what to—"

"No!" Utau said forcefully. "Don't tell your brother anything. Stop listening to—to all the weird stuff he's telling you. That's not right, I know it can't be."

"Oh." Kukai stared at her. "Um... why _did_ you kiss me?"

Utau looked away. "I don't know. It just felt right?"

Kukai frowned. "You know, all the couples I know go out and do stuff, like go out to the Tanuki Paddy. They don't yell at each other and kiss other people. What you and your boyfriend have, I don't think that's love."

She brushed him off, collecting all her laundry. "I've been down here longer than I said I would and he doesn't like that."

"Your boyfriend."

"Yes."

"Who you love very much."

"Yes."

"All right, then." Kukai sighed. "Bye."

"Bye."

Utau took the ironing board and went to put it away. As she did so, she wallopped Kukai in the head.

"OW!"

"I am so sorry!" Utau dropped the board and rushed to his side. "Kukai, are you all right?"

"That hurt!" He yelped.

She began checking his face and his head, her eyes filled with worry. "I didn't mean to—" She stopped. "What did you say?"

Kukai winced, gripping the back of his head. "I said—"

Then he blinked and stared up at her.

"It hurts."

They stared at each other. This was scary. And wonderful. But very scary. Behind them, through the window of Ma Amakawa's laundry room, a shower of stars had begun.

* * *

_それを取り戻す - Getting It Back_

* * *

Kairi was splayed on an armchair, snoring loudly in his darkened house, when suddenly a loud banging from his door sent him tumbling out of his chair, stunned and dazed.

"KAIRI!" More banging. "KAIRI!"

"Shhh, Yaya, I'm coming!" He fumbled with his slippers, tightening his bathrobe. "I'm coming!"

"KAIRI!"

"Shh, I'm coming, I'm coming!" He jogged over to the door and opened it.

In strode Yaya, blowing right past him. "Kairi—"

"What's the matter? What's wrong?" Yaya turned towards him, clearly distraught as he shut the door and turned towards her. "What?"

She collected herself, taking a deep breath. "I want it back."

He blinked. "What?"

"I want it back."

He shook his head. "What?"

"All the love I gave to you? I want it back."

"What?"

_"Now,"_ She said dangerously.

A pause. "I don't understand—"

She interrupted him. "I've got yours in the car."

"What?"

"All the love you gave to me? I've got it in the car."

"What?"

"I don't want it anymore."

"Why?!"

"I've made a decision. We're done."

"What?!"

"We're done. I've decided. And so, I've brought all the love you gave to me and I'm giving it back to you. It's the right thing to do."

He was bewildered. "Um, I—"

"It's in the car," She said expectantly.

"You said that already..."

She sighed. "I could go get it for you, or you could go get it."

"Well—I don't want it, I don't need it—"

Yaya threw her hands up in exasperation. "Well, I don't want it! What am I supposed to do with it if I don't want it?"

"Er..."

"Well, under the circumstances,"

"Under what circumstances?!"

"It doesn't seem right for me to keep it,"

"I don't understand—Yaya—!"

"So I'm gonna give it back!"

"What are you doing?!"

"I told you: I'm getting all the love you gave to me and I'm giving it back to you!"

"Well, I'm not sure I want it ba—whoa! Need help?!"

In came Yaya, holding several enormous bags of love, each bigger than she. "No," She said in a strangled voice, grunting out, "It's not heavy." She set them down on the floor. "Here you go."

"And this is..." Kairi trailed off.

Yaya went back outside, calling over her shoulder, "All the love you gave to me, yeah."

"Oh." She returned with even more enormous bags. "That's a lot."

"Yeah." Even more bags.

"A whole lot."

"Yeah." Even more bags.

Finally there were no more left, in which there were about thirty enormous bags sitting in a gargantuan pile in the middle of Kairi's living room.

"Wow." Kairi stared at it. "What... what am I supposed to do with all of this? I mean..." He sunk into his armchair. "I don't know if I have enough room."

Yaya scoffed. "I'm sure you'll find a place for it..." She shot him a look. "And now, I think it's only fair of you to give me mine back, because..." She trailed off, blinking. "I want it back."

Silence.

"... All the love I gave to you?"

"Yeah?"

"I want it back."

Silence.

"So... go get it."

Silence.

"Kairi, go _get_ it!"

Silence.

_"Please!"_

Silence.

_"Now!"_

He hesitated, a little lost. "... Okay."

Yaya sat down in the armchair, nervous and agitated. When Kairi returned, he had a tiny red bag in his hand that he set down on a table next to the chair.

She leapt out of the chair and pointed accusingly at the bag. "What is that?"

It was obvious. "It's all the love you gave to me."

Yaya shook her head. "That is—that is not—there is no way..." She looked from the enormous pile of love to the pitiful bag. "... Is that all I gave you?"

"It's all I could find." Kairi was mystified.

"Oh." Yaya kept looking back and forth, her expression falling. "Okay." She bit her lip, trying not to cry. "Okay."

"Yaya..." Kairi moved closer to her. "What's going on?"

"We're done!" She insisted. "I already told you!"

"Why?" He crossed his arms. "What reason—and it had better be a legitimate reason—are you breaking up with me?"

"Because—" Yaya bit her lip, running a hand through her hair. "Because when I asked you—if—you thought—we would..." Her cheeks were pink. "Get married..." She murmured.

Kairi said nothing.

"Don't you remember?" Yaya asked quietly, stepping closer to him. "When I asked you that?"

He sighed. "Yes."

"Well, when I asked you—that," She mumbled. "You... got really quiet. And..." And she seemed to regain her fire. "And everybody said that that right there was all I needed to know—"

"Everybody? Everybody who?"

"—and Utau said—"

"Utau said, like she's an expert or something—"

"—that how quiet you got said everything, and she's right, and now I know that—"

"—Yaya—"

"—You don't love me!" Yaya shouted.

"What—Yaya!" Kairi was shocked. "Of course I love—"

Yaya shushed him, her eyes fierce. "It's been eleven years, Kairi. We've been together for eleven years. I've given you all my love, enough to the point that I don't actually have any left more me, and... I want it back. Because..." She rubbed her arm. "I wanna bring it with me."

"You're leaving?" Kairi gaped at her. "Why?"

"I need to get away from things."

He threw his arms up in the air. "What things? There's nothing to get away from!"

Her eyes flashed. "Yes, there are! You!"

"... Me?"

"Yes. _You_ are the reason I need to leave, because I have to _think_ and _start over,"_ She strode forward, punctuating her words with a finger poking his chest. "and all the love I gave you? I want it back!"

"Yaya—"

"Please." She covered her face with her hands, looking up at him with a rather unsure and regretful expression. "Kairi... I think... we're gonna be done. And so, we should just return the love we gave each other and call it..." Her voice grew quiet as she looked from her miniscule bag to the gargantuan bags of love Kairi had given to her. "Call it..."

Kairi crossed his arms. "Even?"

She moaned and sat down in the chair. "God, I didn't... What kind of person am I if that's all the love I gave y—" Her voice broke as she stared helplessly back and forth. "No... no! I know I gave you more than that, Kairi, I know it!"

The two were silent, Yaya rather lost and Kairi exasperated.

Yaya frowned. "Did you lose it?"

"What?! Of course not—"

"Did you lose it, Kairi? Because I know I gave you more than that! Is this some kind of joke? Because it's not funny!"

"I wouldn't!" He burst. "I wouldn't do that to you. I just—" He sighed, looking at her sadly. "I think you should just... take what you came for and... I guess I'll see you later." He left the room.

Yaya watched him go, the gravity of the situation finally hitting her. "Kairi..." She said weakly. _"Kairi..."_

He didn't come back.

Yaya sat down hard, putting her head in her hands, her mouth moving as if to say, _stupid, stupid._ She glanced over at the enormous pile of Love, then at her own tiny bag, and reached out for it, opening it. Her brow furrowed.

"Kairi? What is this? This isn't the love I gave you, I know it! I—" Her eyes widened. "Kairi, what's this?" She asked in a small voice.

"It's a ring, Yaya," Kairi called.

"Wha—What?"

He appeared, leaning against a wall with a little smile on his face. "It's a ring."

"What—well, I—" She took a little ring box out of the bag. "Oh, Kairi, it's a ring! Is this a—a ring? A ring that you give to someone you've been with for a really long time if you want to let them know that—"

"Yes."

"Oh..." She swallowed hard and opened the box. Inside was a beautiful diamond ring, glittering and sparkling and sending tiny points of light scattering around the room, clearly costly. Yaya's eyes welled with tears. "O—Oh!"

It was quiet, the smile on Kairi's face widening to the point that the mschievousness of it was almost criminal. Yaya looked at the ring, dazzled and giddily happy. Then she frowned. "Er... Kairi? Um. Where's all the love I gave you?"

"Right there." He pointed at the ring.

She bit her lip. "Um... Buuuut..."

"It's right there!"

"But—"

"It is! That's it! Right there!" He gestured at the little ring. "You gave me so much over the years—"

"Eleven years, Kairi."

"Yes, the eleven years, and I didn't know what to do with all of it." He laughed. "I looked kind of like a hoarder, all the love you gave to me. And, I asked my sister what to do with all of it, and she asked if I had a ring. I said no, and she told me to get you one, it was time, and when there's that much Love coming in, that's the only place you can put it." They looked at the little ring. "She said that it would all fit, and she was right. So, there's all the love you gave me, just not in the same... form... as when you gave it."

"Yeah." Yaya gave him a tremulous smile.

"Do you still want it back?" He asked calmly.

"Yes. I do."

"Well then, take it."

She tucked her hair behind her ear, gesturing sheepishly at the gigantic pile of Love next to her. "Can I keep... all that?"

"It's yours."

"Thank you." The smile flickered and faded. "Kairi... you didn't have to get me a ring, that's not what I—"

"Yes. I did. It was time. And it was honorable."

She turned her attention back to the ring. "Well... It's very beautiful." She closed her eyes. "Kairi... I'm so sorry. I just—it's a Friday night, and I was sitting at home all alone... we didn't even go out or anything, and I just kept thinking that just wasn't right—"

"Shh." He stepped forward and took her in his arms, kissing her gently. She clung to him, resting her head on his shoulder. As they held each other, Yaya couldn't help but look at her ring. Out of the corner of his eye, Kairi saw her smile happily, and smirked a little, pulling her into another kiss. Outside, high up in the heavens, a shooting star flew across the skies.

_The same night, Hikaru sat by himself, staring sadly at his snowball, glancing up in the direction Ami had gone, as if hoping she would return. She didn't, of course, and he sighed to himself. Overhead, the sky was devoid of stars._

* * *

_彼らは落ちた - They Fell_

* * *

"I'm just saying, I had a bad time, too!"

They sat together on little chairs made of snow packed hard, their cheeks flushed and their eyes bright, staring up at the starry sky.

"No, there's no way." Manami shook her head disbelievingly.

"It was bad," Wakana said. "Really bad."

"Okay... then let's hear it."

"He told me I smelled bad." She said it quickly, her face burning.

"Rento Souma... told you that you smelled bad?"

"... Yes."

"Why—When?"

"When I picked him up. He got into my car, and we—we hadn't even left the driveway, and he started breathing all funny, and then he said that he couldn't do this and that he had never liked the way I smelled, and then he said he thought he could overlook it, but it turned out he was wrong. And then he got out of the car and ran inside."

"Oh, Wakana..." Manami hugged her. "That's pretty bad."

"Yeah..." Wakana managed a smile.

"I don't think you smell bad!" Manami grinned and poked at her friend's shoulder. "Not even a little bit. Wakana laughed.

"What about you?"

"Well..." Manami swallowed hard. "My... date, his... face broke."

"What?"

Manami sighed. "I seriously can't believe I blew it with Fuyuki-kun. When do you get a chance with a guy like Fuyuki Kirishima? For that matter, who practically breaks a guy's face?"

"How—?"

"We were dancing—because that's what he brought me to do. We were taking dance lessons, and the teachers was teaching us how to do a lift. You know, you lift the girl up and over you? Well, he tried doing that... and apparently I was a little too heavy for him... and he accidentally dropped me, and I fell on top of his face... So I had to bring him to the hospital, and he had me call Yaya-chan and Kairi-kun, and then he made me leave..."

Wakana patted her on the shoulder sympathetically. "He's not worth it, anyways. I hear he's still got a crush on Yaya-chan, even though she's Kairi-kun's fiancee."

Manami laughed. "I'd believe it. Yaya's a catch, but she and Kairi-kun are so in love it's a little disgusting to watch."

"And Kairi-kun's gorgeous," Wakana said comfortingly. "Besides, I'm glad I'm here with you."

"Exactly!" Manami beamed at the sky. "You and I are best friends, you know? There's no one else I'd rather be with. And I was thinking that I'm glad I have you. 'Cause it feels like I didn't have anyone else, and I was all sad and stuff because I felt all alone. And I just thought then, I might never have someone to spend the rest of my life with..." Manami seemed to be talking to herself now, Wakana watching her with a strange smile on her face as Manami's voice grew softer and sweeter. "... And of course I was wrong, 'cause I know I'll always have you, and you're the one I want to live the rest of my life with."

It was quiet as Manami's words sunk into both their heads, Manami looking uncomfortable after realizing exactly what she'd just revealed and Wakana looking extremely embarrassed.

"...Wakana?" Manami asked quietly, finally raising her eyes to her friend's face.

"We're friends," Wakana mumbled finally, avoiding Manami's gaze. "Just friends."

Manami looked away, feeling embarrassed. "Never mind. I shouldn't have said anything."

A heavy, awkward silence filled the air. What was there to say? What was there to do? Neither girl seemed sure of anything in those long moments as they laid back on their snow-chairs, staring up at the twinkling stars in the night sky as their frozen breath rose from them like smoke.

"I should probably head home," Wakana said finally. "I'll see you later, Manami."

"Bye... Wakana." Manami looked after her friend as she walked away, looking rather lost and sad.

Without warning, Manami fell. Perhaps she slipped on ice, or tripped over her own feet, or maybe it was love. (They say love makes your knees weak, you know.) Whatever the matter, the girl fell face-first into the nearest snowdrift with a cry of surprise.

Wakana, seeing her friend, raced towards her friend, skidding to a stop by her friend. "Manami, are you okay? Here." Wakana held out a hand to help her up, and Manami took it, rather confused.

The girl turned, blowing snow out of her face, and blinked at her friend. "I'm fine. I don't know what happened there, I just... I think..." She said softly. "I think I just fell in love with you."

And she fell again.

"What are you doing?" Wakana said in exasperation. "Here." She helped her to her feet again. "Stop that!"

"I can't help it!" Manami said fiercely. "I'm falling in love with you!" She fell again.

Wakana stared at her, then growled and threw her hands up in exasperation, stalking away from her. "There you go again! See, we're friends. Best friends. You know what? I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life, too, and you ruined that! We're best friends! You're not supposed to mess with that, and you messed with it, and now I don't know if we can ever go back to being just best friends, and..." She put her face in her hands. "And what am I supposed to do if I don't have you?"

All of a sudden, without touching each other, without even being within ten feet of each other, she fell, an expression of shock on her face.

They stared at each other, the truth of the situation dawning slowly on the two girls. They tried to stand again; this time simply because they wanted nothing more than to be close to each other, but fell once more. They tried to get to their feet.

They fell.

And again.

And _again._

And again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again—

To any bystander, it would have looked rather strange, seeing the two girls struggle to do such a simple thing as stand, let alone do so to be close. It seemed as if the two girls were attempting to fly, or perhaps stop themselves from drowning, flailing their arms madly and kicking out wildly as they desperately tried to get closer to each other, but made no progress unless 'progress' meant getting lots of bruises.

They looked at each other, their eyes wide and confused, oblivious to the glittering shooting stars above them, to the cold white snow that surrounded them, to the world; for in that moment, nothing else really seemed to matter, only that they had both fallen.

* * *

_それはどこに行った - Where It Went_

* * *

The twilight stars had already begun to poke their heads from the clear night sky above a far-flung, lonely lake in northern Hokkaido. Two figures sat apart, as distant from each other as they could be as they sat on an old, rickety bench together. It was bitingly cold out, stinging their cheeks, but the bitter silence between them spoke of many things left unsaid.

"It still feels like you're mad," Yuu Nikaidou said finally, pulling off his hockey skates.

Yukari sighed, one figure skate on and on shoe on. "I'm not mad, I—"

"But you were, you are—"

"—just said I wished you paid more attention lately."

"You're mad."

"I'm not mad, I was having fun, I thought." She looked at him. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes."

"Good." She smiled, then frowned.

"I mean," Yuu said defensively, "I had to work, because Manami called me in, I had to work."

"I'm not mad at you, Yuu, you had to work, I get it." She looked around. "Where's my shoe?"

"What?"

"My shoe, where is it?" The two began to look. Yukari looked at him. "Is this you being funny?"

"What?! No!"

"'Cause it's not funny. It's cold!"

"Well, you're the one who wanted to go skating!"

"Yuu!"

"We'll find it!" Yuu said angrily. "It's gotta be here somewhere!"

Yukari sighed, relacing her skate. "I'm not mad. I was never mad. I had fun tonight. Remember?" She said hopefully. "We went skating the first time you kissed me. Remember? Right here..." She touched him slightly, and he shook her off.

"Maybe it's in the car. Did you put them on there...?"

"I put them on with you," She said quietly. Then, "A shooting star!" She gasped, her eyes lighting up.

"What?" Yuu crashed and fumbled around, trying to get out of the car. "Where?"

"Shush!" She waved him off, shutting her eyes tight. "I'm making a wish."

"Oh." Yuu looked up at the sky. "I guess I missed it."

"Of course you did," She sighed.

Yuu crossed his arms. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Yukari looked away. "I'm just... not surprised you missed it." She stood, and moved towards the car. "Maybe...?"

Yuu sat there, staring up at the sky, infinitely sad as he tried to quell the storm of emotions that burst through his chest, all his rage and frustration rising and swelling like violent waves tossed at sea.

"... Yuu?"

Yuu started and locked eyes. "I—I was wishing. On a regular star," He lied. "Wanna wish on it with me?"

Yukari took this in, a little touched. "A-All right. Which one?"

"That bright one." He pointed. "Right above the mountain."

"... Yuu?"

"Yeah?"

"That's a planet. Saturn, actually."

"... Well, how was I supposed to know that?"

"It's been on the news every day for weeks." The air was tense. "You would've known that if you just paid attention."

"What do you mean?"

"Happy anniversary, Yuu."

He stared at her. Then instead of apologizing, her turned away, sighing. "I knew you were mad."

"I'm not mad, Yuu."

"Yes, you are. And Yukari, I have to work, for us, and the kids, and it's a lot sometimes and it messes me up."

"I'm not mad, Yuu! I just... I just don't understand. I've got a great family and a husband, and I'm lonely. You don't pay attention anymore, you go away, and I don't know where. You missed your son's first hockey game, you missed your daughter's birthday, and you forgot our anniversary!"

She sat down hard. "I brought us here because I was hoping you'd remember. But you didn't." She was quiet. "And that makes me so mad I don't know what to do anymore."

"You lie."

"What?"

"You lie so bad."

"What?"

"You're mad at me. But you don't say that you're mad. You say you have fun, but you don't! You didn't have a fun time, did you?"

"No." Yukari put her face in her hands. "I don't have fun with you anymore, Yuu."

"Well, I had a rotten, lousy time. And you're still mad at me."

"Because you're gone!" She shouted, whirling around to face him. "I can see it in your eyes, Yuu! You don't our kids, you barely remember anything important anymore, and you don't see me—us!" Her voice cracked. "The guy I fell in love with, the guy I've been together with for years, he disappeared, and..."

"And what?" Yuu crossed his arms, glaring at her. "What exactly have I done to make you mad this time? Because from what I can tell, you're always angry, you're always saying things you don't mean, and you lie. All the time. You say that I don't pay attention and I go away? Well, maybe I go away because I'm lost too. You can't tell me what I am to you, and I don't know where I stand, so I go away so I can know. And you know what? It's lonely there, too! You went away long before I did, and now you just lie. Tell me, how is that my fault?"

"You're just... gone," She said, her tone filled with regret. "And I don't know if I can get you back."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Yuu asked quietly.

Yukari stared at him, her eyes searching his for something, anything, scanning his tired expression. She said nothing, biting her lip as if trying to make a decision.

Out of nowhere, almost like a shooting star struck down to earth, a shoe—the missing shoe—dropped with a clunk onto the ground beside the two. They stared at it, and Yukari picked it up, looking at it with a sad, tired look.

Then, she stepped forward and kissed his cheek, long and slow and sad. She turned and walked away into the cold winter night, without looking back.

Yuu sat back down on the bench, his head in his hands. He looked up at the sky, and watched as a shower of meteors began to dance across the sky.

He closed his eyes and made a wish.

* * *

_希望の物語 - Story of Hope_

* * *

She brushed the snow off her slacks, shivering as she made her way up the steps to the porch. She was a beautiful woman, no longer young, but gracfully aged. She was dressed in dazzling clothes not quite suitable for Hotondo. She brushed her long blonde hair over her shoulder, straightening her appearance. Hesitating for the barest moment, she stepped forward and knocked on the door to a familiar house.

The porch lights went on, and a voice came from the other side of the door. "Just a minute."

A tall, thin man in a white bathrobe and wearing a shower cap stepped out onto the porch, a curious smile on his face. As he saw her, he stopped cold, the smile dropped completely.

The woman started quickly, her eyes wide and earnest, so absorbed in her words she didn't quite see the man at first. "I know it's not an easy thing to say, but I was out there in the world, and I realized that I didn't have any place in it, and I was just so small, but then I remembered that I did have a place, and that was with you! So I took a taxi from Sapporo, and I just had to be here, to get to you, and I'm just so glad—" She stopped, finally realizing something. "Ohhhh... You're not—I thought—this house, it's the right address, but—" She groaned. "I am so sorry. Is—is this the residence of Nagihiko Fujisaki?"

"Er..." The man trailed off, a little confused. "You're looking for...?"

"Oh, it isn't, is it?" She bit her lip and sighed. "He doesn't live here. I'm so sorry. I just—do you know him? Big, strong guy. Played basketball. He danced, too. No?" She groaned again. "I just—I heard that, after his parents died, he kept the house, and I thought... He stayed." She stopped. "I didn't. I left."

"Uh..." She shivered. "Are you cold?"

"Yeah. I—I forgot. I used to live here." She looked embarrassed. "I can't believe it... I took a taxi all the way from Sapporo..."

"That's pretty far away."

"Yeah."

"Why did you take a taxi all the way from Sapporo?"

The woman looked up at the sky. "I needed to answer a question he asked me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." She looked down. "He'd asked me a really important question, and I didn't answer him. And that's... just not something you do to a person."

The man laughed. "Well, you're being a little hard on yourself, don't you th—"

"He asked me to marry him.

Silence. Then, "Oh. And you..."

"Didn't answer him, no." He whistled, and the woman closed her eyes. "I know. I just... I—I didn't answer him the first time, because I was going away to college, and I was going to live out my dreams, you know? And then out of the blue, the night before I was leaving, he asked me, 'will you marry me?' And I couldn't answer that, I mean—" She fumbled, trying to defend her actions. "I was leaving in the morning! So I told him I would think about it, and that I'd be back before the morning."

"And you didn't come back, did you?"

"No," She said softly. "I didn't. Not then, not ever. Until now."

"That seems like an answer to me."

"No!" The woman looked around, as if trying to find an explanation. "I just—I went into the world, and I didn't come back, and that's not an answer, and I think..."

"What?"

"I think he thought I'd say yes," She said quietly.

"Well," The man said, "I don't think most guys could get up the courage unless they though a girl would say yes."

"I know." She closed her eyes. "And... I can just... imagine... him, just sitting there, waiting for me to come back, and how it must've felt when I never did... I just wish I could tell him that I know now that you can't do that, especially to someone you love."

"You loved him?"

"I did." She looked at him. "I do. I feel like I dashed his hopes and dreams."

"No..." The man said thoughtfully. "I mean, when you dash someone's hopes and dreams, that's quick. It's fast. If you'd have answered him 'no', you'd have dashed his hopes. But it would've been quick. It would've ended. What you did, you didn't answer him, and that's not 'dashing' anything. It's killing Hope the long, slow, painful way. It's still there, it's hanging on, but it's dying. It's like giving someone a little less air to breathe, every day, until they die."

"Yeah..." She looked as if she were about to cry. "Thank you."

"For what?"

She bit her lip. "I don't know. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Kitai."

She sighed, then turned back. "I'm sorry," She repeated. "I just—" Her eyes widened in realization. "Wait... I never told you my name!"

Nagihiko straightened, and pulled off his shower cap, letting his long violet hair fall down, crinkling softly in the winter air. "Hello, Kitai."

"I didn't rec—"

"I know."

"I didn't rec—"

"I know.

"I didn't even—"

"I know."

"—recognize you!"

"I know."

"You're so..."

"Yeah."

"Thin."

"Yeah, I... I lost a lot of Hope."

They just looked at each other then. There was a long, painful, horrible beat of silence.

"Nagihiko, I'm so sorry I never—"

"Shh. It's okay. And guess what? You're early."

"What?"

"You're early. You said you'd be back with an answer before the sun rose, and look—" He gestured to the sky, dark and empty and devoid of light. "The sun hasn't even risen. That's good of you."

"Yeah."

"So, a taxi... all the way from Sapporo."

"Yeah."

"To tell me...?"

Kitai opened her mouth to say something, but a voice from behind the door sounded. "Nagihiko? Who's there?"

Immediately Nagihiko's face softened, his eyes filling with something Kitai had once seen when he looked at her. "Just... someone asking for directions."

"Oh." A pause. "It's late for directions."

"Yeah—Rima, I'll be inside in just a minute."

"... Okay."

Nagihiko looked back at Kitai, and his eyes were gentle and calm, just as they always had been, and perhaps a little sad. "I hope you find your place in this world, Kitai," He said simply. And he opened the door and went inside.

Kitai stared after Nagihiko, lost and sad and forlorn. She had arrived here from thousands of miles away, just to finally, _finally_ answer him. He would not hear her, and it wouldn't matter if he did. But she answered him anyway.

"Yes." She said softly. _"Yes."_

And she turned to leave. Kitai glanced back, still at a loss, and the porch lights went out. She walked away slowly, down the porch steps and out into the cold night, and then Kitai was gone. Overhead, a single star shot across the lonely sky.

* * *

_ものを見て - Seeing The Thing_

* * *

"All right, we're here. This is my house. You're inside."

"This is the porch."

"It's close enough, isn't it?"

"... Can I go inside your house?"

"No."

They were standing on the porch to a small, neat house, covered in snow and decked out in snowmobile gear, kicking the snow off their boots. Nadeshiko pulled her long violet hair out of her ponytail, giving Tadase a look that clearly meant, '_You can go home now.'_

Tadase sighed. "Why not?"

"I don't want you to." Nadeshiko crossed her arms, blocking the entrance to her house. (Clearly she did not want him to go inside.)

Tadase looked at her, then brightened. "O-Oh! I have something for you." He pulled a square, neatly wrapped gift. Nadeshiko took it from him, looking at him strangely.

"What's this?"

It's—I—this is—" Tadase fumbled for words, then changed the subject quickly. "That was fun, Nadeshiko!"

"It was awesome!" Nadeshiko grinned.

"I mean, we were way, way out there,"

"Yeah!"

"And the food was delicious, and with everyone from the Snowmobile Club,"

"Yeah!"

"And then we went back for some beers at the Tanuki Paddy! And you sure flew on your new snowmobile! You whupped my butt!"

"Yeah! You totally lost! I whupped your butt!"

"You did!"

"Whupped it!"

"Yeah, I know!"

"Whupped your butt!"

"I'm not saying you didn't!"

Nadeshiko laughed as she smiled at Tadase. "That was fun."They settled and looked at each other. Nadeshiko looked away, her cheeks pink, and Tadase cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"So..." He said feebly. "So, this," He referred to the present, "Well, we've been together for a while..."

"Together?" Nadeshiko said skeptically.

"As friends, you know, for a long time, and..."

"You're not getting all... girly on me, are you?"

"Shh!" He said, now red in the face. "Just—here." He gestured to the gift.

Nadeshiko rolled her eyes and tore the paper off the gift, revealing a small canvas with a painting.

She stared at it. "What is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's a picture..."

"A painting..."

"And it looks homemade..."

"Yeah."

Her eyebrows raised. "Er. Tadase, did you, uh, paint this yourself?"

"Yeah—well," He said, laughing nervously. "I mean—I'm taking these classes, these night classes, see, for art. Art Ed. We've—we've been doing this, this thing with dots—"

"Pointillism?"

"Yeah, that! And, I did that here, except with squares instead of dots, and... and it's a picture. It's like my version of, 'stare-at-it-until-you-see-the-thing'."

"Okay... what's the thing?"

Tadase stared at her. "I'm not going to tell you."

"Come on, Tadase!"

"No, you just—it takes time, okay? You just—you have to trick it."

"What?"

'Trick it! You know—" He walked past it, stealing glances at it. "Trick it! Don't let it know you're looking at it."

Nadeshiko sighed and submitted to trying to 'trick it'. After several tries, she gave up. "This is stupid."

"No, no, you were doing it!" Tadase said optimistically. "You had it!" Nadeshiko looked at him cynically. He sighed. "All right. Why don't—why don't we go inside, and we can get a couple of beers—Sapporo beers, I know you like those—and just talk?" He turned towards the house.

Nadeshiko blushed and hurried in front of him, blocking his way. "N-n-n-no!"

"Why not?"

"I—I'm out of those. I only have Orion."

"Okay, then I'll get us some Orion."

"N-n-n-no!" Nadeshiko refused to move. "I—we have to trick it, Tadase!" She attempted to 'trick it'. "Trick it, trick it!"

Tadase sighed in frustration. "Nadeshiko, I've known you for so long, and I've never been inside your house. We've been best friends for years, and I've never been inside your house for a few beers. It's unnatural."

"I don't care that it's unnatural! We gotta trick this thing!" She sat right down and stared at the painting.

"You're doing it wrong."

"Shh! I've got it!" She looked up at him, excited.

"What is it?" He pressed.

"Roadkill!" She said happily.

"... What?"

"Roadkill! Dead bloody elk on the side of the road."

"What—no!"

"Dead tanuki, then. On the side of the road."

"No!"

"Okay, a rabbit."

"Why would I paint that and then give it to you?!"

Nadeshiko threw up her hands. "Well, Tadase, then I don't know!"

"You don't see it?" Tadase was crestfallen.

"No!"

"Then... can I give you a hint?"

"I don't understand. What do you mean?" Nade looked uncomfortable, avoiding his eyes by staring at the painting.

"Well—" Tadase hesitantly, then sighed. "Let me show you."

"... Okay?" Nadeshiko met his gaze then, confused. "What—"

He kissed her. She pushed him off her and stumbled backwards, her cheeks flaming. "What was that for?!" She yelled.

Tadase looked startled. "I just... I was just trying to show you. What I meant."

"Well, don't do that!" Nadeshiko's face was growing steadily redder. "I—I just—I think you should leave!"

"Nadeshiko..."' Tadase looked hurt.

"UGH!" Nadeshiko yelled. "Just—just get out of here! And don't ever do that again!" She raced into the house and slammed the door, and audible click of a lock coming from the other side.

Tadase fumed, then turned and strode off. Before he left, he seemed to decide something, and turned back, yelling, "HEY, NADESHIKO!"

"WHAT?!"

"I guess you really are what they say!"

"What?" Nadeshiko burst out of the door, her eyes aflame. Tadase took a hasty few steps back. "What do 'they' say?"

He looked at her, most of his anger gone. "That you're a little hung up there."

"I'm a little hung up there?" She glowered. "Oh, really? Who says?"

"Well..." He swallowed uncomfortably. "Hikaru and Ami..."

"Hikaru and Ami say that I'm a little hung up there?" Nadeshiko looked confused and a little hurt. "What—what does that even mean? I just—it—who else?"

"Well, Wakana and Manami..."

_"Wakana and Manami?"_

"And Kairi and Yaya,"

_"Yaya?"_

"And Utau, and Tsumugu and Ikuto,"

_"... Ikuto?"_

"And... Rima and... Well..."

Nadeshiko's eyes filled with hurt and betrayal. "Even my own...? Why... why would they... I mean, I'm nice to those guys! I—I like them! Why would they... behind my back... that's mean."

"I—" Tadase stepped forward, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. She flinched but did not move away. "I don't think they said that to be mean, Nade. I think they were just telling me that to warn me."

"Warn you?"

"Yeah. Because they—they like you. And me. And us. They... like the idea of us."

"Us?"

"Yeah."

"They never told me they liked —"

"That's because you're a little hung up there!"

Nadeshiko's eyes widened, and she took a step back, opening her mouth open in shock and hurt, staring at Tadase as if she'd never seen him before.

Tadase seemed to realize how deeply he had hurt her. "Oh, Nadeshiko..." Even with these painful truths revealed to her, she had still not shed a tear. She was tough, after all. But still... "I'm sorry," He said softly. "You know what I meant, don't you, Nade?"

She shrugged, still a little hurt. "I guess I never realized. I mean... I suppose it makes sense. I'm not exactly desirable."

Tadase blinked. "What do you mean? You're very desirable." He added hurriedly, "I mean, you probably are. Why does any of that matter?" He said louder. "You've never cared what anyone thinks of you."

"Yeah, well..." Nadeshiko looked down. "I guess it's just been on my mind. Lately."

Tadase seemed to be debating something, bouncing his leg nervously. "Er... Nadeshiko?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, um. You've never kissed a guy, right?"

"Not willingly, no," She muttered under her breath, raising an unconscious hand to her lips and glaring at her best friend.

"Wydonyoukissme?"

He said it so fast that it was difficult to understand.

"What?"

Tadase swallowed hard, but he was determined. "Why don't you kiss me back? I mean... you know get a kiss, give a kiss? Well—you don't have to, I mean—just saying, but—I—"

"N-n-no!" Nadeshiko was red. "I mean—we gotta trick this, Tadase! I gotta see what it is!" She began to 'trick it' again, slightly desperate this time. "Tadase, what is it? Cherries? Apples? Strawber—"

Nadeshiko's breath hitched, eyes widening in shock as he pressed his lips to hers. He twined his fingers into her hair and slid closer to her, locking her against him. She seemed utterly helpless, small choked noises coming from her throat, her eyelids fluttering. Her kissing skills were, Tadase's opinion, absolutely perfect. He could feel her heartbeat stutter in her chest before he pulled away, breathing hard.

Nadeshiko flushed, now looking at the painting. "I can see it." She murmured. "The—the thing. It's really beautiful." She looked down. "You're good at this."

"And you're good at this..." He smiled and drew her close to him again, kissing her harder this time.

With that, she took his face in her hands and kissed him again. "That was a lot less hard than I thought it would be..." She breathed. A slow, surprised smile spread across her face. "It wasn't hard at all!" She kissed him again. "Not hard!" Again. "At all!" Again. "This is fun!" She giggled.

Tadase grinned and pulled her close, kissing her again, holding her tight against him. "I love you," He murmured against her lips.

Her eyes sparkled as she pulled away, staring at him. "So, what does come next?" She asked breathlessly, gripping the front of his shirt and panting slightly.

Tadase looked at her, his eyes burning. "Do you really want to know?" He murmured.

"Y—wait!" Nadeshiko bit her lip. "This will take...?"

"A while," He whispered, slightly pink. "Maybe all night."

"But we have work in the morning!"

"Then we'll call in."

"Call in?" Nadeshiko stared at him. A slow, soft smile spread across her face. "Okay. We'll call in!" She laughed. "Not a single shift tomorrow, right?"

"Well then..." He smiled, pressing his forehead to hers and drawing her close. "You really want to know what comes next?"

He stepped forward, so, so close to her, and gently unzipped her snowmobile jacket, letting it fall off her shoulders, and with her help took off his. Then he knelt and pulled off her boots, slipping his own off. Another layer of coats was pulled off. Then another. And another.

And another and another and another and another and another and another—

The two stood there facing each other, wearing nothing but long johns, a great big pile of clothes between them.

"This."

And setting down the painting, which was of nothing more than a great big red _heart,_ he kissed her again, leading her up the rickety old porch and into the house, closing the door behind her. Above them, the a single shooting star twinkled, as if to say, _yes, yes._

* * *

**終わり - End**

* * *

_In the same night as Love had struck the almost-town of Hotondo, the night of the meteor shower, Hikaru sighed to himself, holding his slightly melty snowball in one hand and glancing up now and then. He was older now, a whole year older, still visiting the little bench he had once sat on with Ami. The air was still bitingly cold, the sky was still dark. The ice on the pond before the bench glinted dully under the thin light of the crescent moon._

_A year. A year since she had gone. Without a word, without a note, simply gone._

_He had come here every night to wait._

_It was the bench._

_Their bench._

_He had always hoped, after all..._

_It was silly, he knew._

_Hikaru blew out his lips and stood, brushing the fresh, glittering snow from his pants. After a momen't hesitation, he stared off in the direction that she had left so many months ago._

_Still looking off in the direction Ami had gone, he didn't notice the quiet footsteps from behind him. Ami, slowly, a little tired, a little older, made her way towards him and stopped. Hikaru, finally sensing that he was not alone, turned back, and his eyes widened._

_Without speaking, he asks her, holding his snowball, if she really has been all the way around the world._

_Ami nodded, a wide smile spreading across her face, and she has, she has been around the whole world for him, the world in a year, and still she loves him._

_The two ran to each other, embracing, holding each other close, because it had been too long. And just like they did exactly three-hundred-and-sixty-five days ago, they sat and watched the stars, together as the meteor shower began._

* * *

I do not own Shugo Chara! or Shugo Chara! Encore!.

Yes, I know it's long. But I personally felt that beforehand, the chapters were too short. I like the look of this much better. Sorry. Anyways, this is technically a repost, but because there were people who enjoyed it, I just didn't delete it.

Review, please!


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